Accessing Elements from Dictionary
While indexing is used with other data types to access values, a dictionary
uses keys . Keys can be used either inside square brackets [] or with
the get() method.
If we use the square brackets [] , KeyError is raised in case a key is not found in
the dictionary. On the other hand, the get() method returns None if the key is not
found.
# get vs [] for retrieving elements
my_dict = {'name': 'Jack', 'age': 26}
# Output: Jack
print(my_dict['name'])
# Output: 26
print(my_dict.get('age'))
# Trying to access keys which doesn't exist throws error
# Output None
print(my_dict.get('address'))
# KeyError
print(my_dict['address'])
Output
Jack
26
None
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "<string>", line 15, in <module>
print(my_dict['address'])
KeyError: 'address'
Changing and Adding Dictionary elements
Dictionaries are mutable. We can add new items or change the value of existing
items using an assignment operator.
If the key is already present, then the existing value gets updated. In case the
key is not present, a new (key: value) pair is added to the dictionary.
# Changing and adding Dictionary Elements
my_dict = {'name': 'Jack', 'age': 26}
# update value
my_dict['age'] = 27
#Output: {'age': 27, 'name': 'Jack'}
print(my_dict)
# add item
my_dict['address'] = 'Downtown'
# Output: {'address': 'Downtown', 'age': 27, 'name': 'Jack'}
print(my_dict)
Output
{'name': 'Jack', 'age': 27}
{'name': 'Jack', 'age': 27, 'address': 'Downtown'}
Removing elements from Dictionary
We can remove a particular item in a dictionary by using the pop() method. This
method removes an item with the provided key and returns the value .
The popitem() method can be used to remove and return an arbitrary (key,
value) item pair from the dictionary. All the items can be removed at once, using
the clear() method.
We can also use the del keyword to remove individual items or the entire
dictionary itself.
# Removing elements from a dictionary
# create a dictionary
squares = {1: 1, 2: 4, 3: 9, 4: 16, 5: 25}
# remove a particular item, returns its value
# Output: 16
print(squares.pop(4))
# Output: {1: 1, 2: 4, 3: 9, 5: 25}
print(squares)
# remove an arbitrary item, return (key,value)
# Output: (5, 25)
print(squares.popitem())
# Output: {1: 1, 2: 4, 3: 9}
print(squares)
# remove all items
squares.clear()
# Output: {}
print(squares)
# delete the dictionary itself
del squares
# Throws Error
print(squares)
Output
16
{1: 1, 2: 4, 3: 9, 5: 25}
(5, 25)
{1: 1, 2: 4, 3: 9}
{}
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "<string>", line 30, in <module>
print(squares)
NameError: name 'squares' is not defined
Python Dictionary Methods
Methods that are available with a dictionary are tabulated below. Some of them
have already been used in the above examples.
Method Description
clear() Removes all items from the dictionary.
copy() Returns a shallow copy of the dictionary.
fromkeys(seq[,
Returns a new dictionary with keys from seq and value equal to v (defaults to N
v])
get(key[,d]) Returns the value of the key . If the key does not exist, returns d (defaults to No
items() Return a new object of the dictionary's items in (key, value) format.
keys() Returns a new object of the dictionary's keys.
Removes the item with the key and returns its value or d if key is not found. If
pop(key[,d])
provided and the key is not found, it raises KeyError .
Removes and returns an arbitrary item (key, value). Raises KeyError if the dic
popitem()
empty.
Returns the corresponding value if the key is in the dictionary. If not, inserts th
setdefault(key[,d])
with a value of d and returns d (defaults to None ).
update([other]) Updates the dictionary with the key/value pairs from other , overwriting existin
values() Returns a new object of the dictionary's values
Here are a few example use cases of these methods.
# Dictionary Methods
marks = {}.fromkeys(['Math', 'English', 'Science'], 0)
# Output: {'English': 0, 'Math': 0, 'Science': 0}
print(marks)
for item in marks.items():
print(item)
# Output: ['English', 'Math', 'Science']
print(list(sorted(marks.keys())))
Output
{'Math': 0, 'English': 0, 'Science': 0}
('Math', 0)
('English', 0)
('Science', 0)
['English', 'Math', 'Science']
Python Dictionary Comprehension
Dictionary comprehension is an elegant and concise way to create a new
dictionary from an iterable in Python.
Dictionary comprehension consists of an expression pair (key: value) followed
by a for statement inside curly braces {} .
Here is an example to make a dictionary with each item being a pair of a number
and its square.
# Dictionary Comprehension
squares = {x: x*x for x in range(6)}
print(squares)
Output
{0: 0, 1: 1, 2: 4, 3: 9, 4: 16, 5: 25}
This code is equivalent to
squares = {}
for x in range(6):
squares[x] = x*x
print(squares)
Output
{0: 0, 1: 1, 2: 4, 3: 9, 4: 16, 5: 25}
A dictionary comprehension can optionally contain more for or if statements.
An optional if statement can filter out items to form the new dictionary.
Here are some examples to make a dictionary with only odd items.
# Dictionary Comprehension with if conditional
odd_squares = {x: x*x for x in range(11) if x % 2 == 1}
print(odd_squares)
Output
{1: 1, 3: 9, 5: 25, 7: 49, 9: 81}
Other Dictionary Operations
Dictionary Membership Test
We can test if a key is in a dictionary or not using the keyword in . Notice that the
membership test is only for the keys and not for the values .
# Membership Test for Dictionary Keys
squares = {1: 1, 3: 9, 5: 25, 7: 49, 9: 81}
# Output: True
print(1 in squares)
# Output: True
print(2 not in squares)
# membership tests for key only not value
# Output: False
print(49 in squares)
Output
True
True
False
Iterating Through a Dictionary
We can iterate through each key in a dictionary using a for loop.
# Iterating through a Dictionary
squares = {1: 1, 3: 9, 5: 25, 7: 49, 9: 81}
for i in squares:
print(squares[i])
Output
1
9
25
49
81
Dictionary Built-in Functions
Built-in functions like all() , any() , len() , cmp() , sorted() , etc. are commonly
used with dictionaries to perform different tasks.
Function Description
all() Return True if all keys of the dictionary are True (or if the dictionary is empty).
any() Return True if any key of the dictionary is true. If the dictionary is empty, return False
len() Return the length (the number of items) in the dictionary.
cmp() Compares items of two dictionaries. (Not available in Python 3)
sorted() Return a new sorted list of keys in the dictionary.
Here are some examples that use built-in functions to work with a dictionary.
# Dictionary Built-in Functions
squares = {0: 0, 1: 1, 3: 9, 5: 25, 7: 49, 9: 81}
# Output: False
print(all(squares))
# Output: True
print(any(squares))
# Output: 6
print(len(squares))
# Output: [0, 1, 3, 5, 7, 9]
print(sorted(squares))
Output
False
True
6
[0, 1, 3, 5, 7, 9]
